The present invention relates to an assembly and method for mounting a fixture, such as a ceiling fan, to a ceiling, and, more particularly, to such an assembly and method in which the mounting is relatively easy and quick.
In a home or building, an installer often mounts a fixture, such as a ceiling fan or a light fixture, to a ceiling or other elevated area. In the case of a ceiling fan, for example, a plurality of arms are usually provided that connect a plurality of angularly-spaced blades to the casing, or housing, of an electric motor that is initially mounted to the ceiling. However, since the blades, arms and the motor are often packaged separately, they must be assembled and mounted at the site.
This assembly and mounting is relatively difficult and time-consuming especially since each blade must be attached to a corresponding arm, and each arm must be attached to the motor housing at an elevated position. Since there are usually five blades and arms, the labor costs involved constitute a high percentage of the overall cost of the assembly.
This is exacerbated by the fact that fasteners, usually in the form of threaded screws or bolts, are often used for attaching the arm to the motor housing, and must be inserted upwardly though openings in the arm and then threadedly engaged with the housing at the ceiling level. This usually requires the installer to be on a ladder, or the like, which makes it very difficult to hold the arm and the blade at the elevated position, insert the fasteners through the openings in the arm, and tighten the fasteners with a screw driving device. Moreover, since the arm is installed upside down, extra care has to be taken to ensure that the fasteners will not fall from the opening in the arm under the influence of gravity before they are fastened to the housing.
Therefore, what is needed is a fan assembly and a method of installing same in which the fan arms can be easily and quickly attached to the housing while eliminating the danger of the fasteners falling from the arm before they are tightened. The present invention addresses this need.